Become her servant
by ShadowQueenPeach
Summary: A look into Princess Peach's mind during the final events of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, though not everything happens according to the game's storyline. One-shot. Reviews welcome!


A/N: Transcript provided by Super Slash at GameFAQs

gamecube/920182-paper-mario-the-thousand-year-door/faqs/50110

Also shadowkirby2007's playthrough:

watch?v=OtrdrUn32CI

watch?v=9B_6vR2DdjY&t=3s

watch?v=XTB6n8HBz9M

Disclaimer: None of this is mine. Except the story, minus most of the dialogue.

* * *

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!" I screamed as Mario and his friend burst through the door.

"Too bad for you, Mario! You're too late!" Grodus gloated. He seemed confident, which was justified since he stood right next to the coffin.

After TEC had told me Grodus wanted to bring a 1,000 year old demon back to life, and he needed to drag me all the way over here to do it, I knew what was about to happen. After all, I wasn't stupid. But by sending that letter I hoped maybe Mario could put a stop to this…

"What's happening?" the little shadow girl next to Mario asked.

Grodus continued. "Gaack ack ack! Look well! In the coffin behind me sleeps the legendary treasure! This tomb holds the soul of that ancient demon, the wielder of destruction... It will possess Peach's body...and bring life to the most powerful witch in millennia!"

"Possess Peach?!" Mario's friend gasped.

"M-Mario... I'm so s-sorry... Sending you that map... ...caused all this trouble, didn't it..." I choked out from the floor."

Being dragged around by that lunatic certainly didn't leave me in the best shape. Otherwise I'd have run for the door right about now. Really, I was in so much pain anything and everything would hurt if I moved it.

Oh well… being possessed… I felt strangely intrigued. Bring life to the most powerful witch in millennia? I get the strange feeling I've always wanted to do that… why? Not like I have much of a choice right now.

"Gaaaack ack ack ack ack! With the power of the demon, I will rule this pathetic world! The time has come at last! The world will be mine! Now! Arise! ARISE! My Shadow Queen!"

Oh, right. Except I'd also be helping this nutcase rule the world. Isn't being possessed bad enough already?

Grodus waved his staff, and the torches blew out. They lit back up with this eerie purple flame… maybe under different circumstances, that would have looked pretty.

Just as I'd finished that thought, though, the coffin lid slid open, and a green light shone out of it, then a dark whirlwind blew everywhere as I lay helpless. I turned my eyes to the coffin, and out of it rose a purple spirit towering high above me with long gray hair and a huge crown that covered her eyes, if she had any. I could see her hands poised above me. Then, she spoke…

" _ **Who… has called me back?"**_ It was a distinctly feminine, yet demonic and terrifying voice.

"It is I, my Shadow Queen!" Grodus announced with excitement, probably overwhelmed by what he saw before him. I know I was.

" _ **You… Very well… Where is the vessel?"**_ She didn't sound very pleased, eyeing Grodus as if he were a piece of scum… well, actually, he is, but that's besides the point.

I thought about saying, _Right here? Hello? How bad is your eyesight?_ but decided against it.

"It is here! The girl who lies before you!"

Well, of course!

She examined me. To see if I was good enough to possess, good enough for whatever Grodus over there was goind to do with her.

" _ **Yessss… A fine vessel… Now…"**_

I saw the massive hands descend on me, her fingers wrapping around my body, and her head lean down like she wanted to kiss me on the forehead. Then the whirlwind blew around me again, and suddenly, I was standing up…

The first thing I noticed was the pain was gone. All of it. Nothing ached anymore. The next thing was incredible dark power flowing through my veins.

" _ **Muh huh huh huh huh... Witness my rebirth... My soul has not yet fully accustomed to this vessel... But I will learn to control this body soon enough..."**_ I cackled evilly.

Wait… I cackled? My mouth was moving on its own, and I'd lost control of my limbs, too. Well, I'm possessed now. I started glancing down at myself, and noticed I was wearing a dark purple dress, a cape behind me ending in spikes, and I could feel a collar behind my head. Also, my hair was short now, which I decided was the only thing I didn't like about this new appearance.

 _Thanks. Nothing hurts anymore,_ I thought to no one in particular.

 _ **You're welcome.**_

Startled, I tried to swivel my head, but of course it stayed still. I realized the voice came from inside my head.

 _Who are you?_

 _ **Why, girl, I am the Shadow Queen, and you are my vessel. Quite a lovely one, too, might I add. What is your name?**_

 _Peach. Princess Peach._ I would have blushed, but I couldn't.

"P-Peach…" Mario's companion helpfully repeated for me.

"Yes, my glorious witch queen… Destroy these impudent fools!" Grodus commanded, staring right at me.

 _Great, now this idiot wants you to beat up Mario._

 _ **Were you under the impression I would obey him?**_

 _Well, uh, yes…_

" _ **Who are you that would command me? What sort of being are you?"**_

 _Wait, you mean we… I mean you don't have to do what he says?_

 _ **Of course not.**_

"Huh? What do you mean?! I thought you were bound to obey the one who woke you! Enough of this prattle! Do as I say! NOW! Or I will send you back to the depths..."

She raised my arms, and lightning struck Grodus, leaving him with only his head. I could see red light shining out of my eyes, too. I must have looked positively terrifying.

 _You can do that?_ I thought, amazed my body could be used to do such things.

" _ **You would do well to learn your proper place, slave. No one commands me,"**_ she continued.

 _You tell him!_

 _ **Could you raise your arms?**_

 _Why? Can't you do it?_

 _ **It would help.**_

I complied, and we raised my arms together, an even bigger lightning bolt frying what remained of Grodus.

" _ **My powers are not yet fully restored... But...they will come in time..."**_

 _You mean there's more?_

 _ **I've barely even started!**_

"M-Mario… I don't understand…" Mario's friend looked worried. I thought it was pretty easy to understand. There was a witch possessing me, what was so confusing about that? It was pretty great, actually. I'd just destroyed Grodus! Well, except I still couldn't move my own limbs.

Three creatures appeared in front of me. "My queen!" one of them hissed. "You have returned to us!"

" _ **Ahh, Beldam… what ages have passed?"**_

 _You know these weirdos?_

 _ **They served me a thousand years ago, before I was sealed away.**_

" _ **So... You are the one truly responible for calling me back, yessss?"**_

"Yes, my queen... I searched for a pure maiden that you might inhabit... And as I did, I spread the rumor of a great treasure... Then I led the fools who had gathered the Crystal Stars here to open the seal..."

 _A pure maiden, huh?_

 _ **That's you.**_

" _ **Yesss... You have fulfilled your duties admirably."**_

"I am not worthy, my queen..." the creature bowed her head low.

" _ **And who are these...beings that stand before me?"**_ I, or rather she, eyed Mario with a condescending gaze. His companion jumped back, probably startled that she actually was noticed now.

 _That's Mario. He's very good at whacking things with a hammer._

 _ **All right.**_ She didn't seem too impressed.

" _ **Yesss... They do not appear to possess power... ...But they may be of use. If you will become my faithful servants, I will not harm you."**_

 _That's Mario! I don't want to harm him!_

"Mario… I promised to follow you! I believe in you!" Mario's friend said, clearly encouraging him to refuse my… I mean, her offer.

"No! I will never serve you, Shadow Queen!" He held a determined look.

" _ **I see... So you defy me... How...amusing... Then, you wretched fools...you will learn the error of your ways! You are foolish to oppose me. Yesss...and that foolishness...will have to be punished..."**_

"Mario, I will follow you to the end, I swear it! I feel bad for the princess, but that queen must fall before us!" the little shadow girl said. "And when she does, you and I can… Well, anyway, let's take the fight to her!"

 _Are we going to fight him?_

Mario's boot hitting my face implied a yes. It hurt a lot less than I thought it would, but it still hurt.

The Shadow Queen lifted my arm, and this time I tried pulling it down. It still raised, striking Mario with lightning.

 _Hey! No! I'm sure we can talk this out… Why am I getting all chummy with you? You're CONTROLLING MY BODY, for crying out loud!_

 _ **As you are my vessel, it benefits me to maintain cordial relations with you. Now, you may either cause yourself a life of suffering by resisting my will, or you could willingly serve me, and you shall find your life much more pleasant.**_

She flinched as Mario's hammer connected with my face.

 _Fine, but we don't kill him, alright?_

She didn't respond.

I saw two huge hands. One of them slapped Mario. When the other one moved above him, he flinched in pain, and I felt some of the pain go away.

 _Hey!_

 _ **I admit, he's putting up quite a fight. Your name was Peach? Princess Peach?**_

… _Yes._

 _ **I presume you rule a kingdom of some sort?**_

My thoughts drifted to the Mushroom Kingdom, and how it was constantly invaded. _Yes,_ I thought rather angrily.

She must have picked up on this. _**What ails you?**_

 _Oh, you mean besides the fact that you're using my body to beat up Mario? The fact that I get kidnapped all the time, I guess, this just being worse than usual, since instead of being_ in _a cage this time, I_ am _the cage._

 _ **As my vessel… you should not worry yourself over such things.**_

 _What do you mean? I get kidnapped all the time. It's a fact of life._

 _ **Not so anymore. I shall demonstrate. I admit, this Mario is stronger than I expected.**_

" _ **Hmmm... So, you are not weak. Maybe you are less useless than you appear. This body is unfamiliar to me... Yesss, too unfamiliar... Let me assume my true form and show you real power..."**_

I floated up, with the Shadow Queen swirling around me. I wondered if she could fly too. I've always wanted to fly… _ **  
"In this form, your attacks are like those of a child to me... You are lucky... You will perish with the honor of having seen true terror and power! Muh huh huh huh huh huh!"**_

Mario swung his hammer again, and this time… it didn't hurt at all!

" _ **Muh huh huh huh huh huh! Is that your idea of an attack? Foolish..."**_

He tried again, unsuccessfully. Now the Queen summoned many hands, each of them bigger than Mario. They pulled Mario into the shadows, and afterwards he looked considerably more hurt. It made me feel terrible about all this…

" _ **Muh huh huh huh huh... Now, taste my power!"**_

She lifted my hands. I suddenly felt stronger and more protected.

Mario's hammer still did leave plenty of bruises. _If you're done… this still hurts!_

 _ **I'll take care of that.**_

" _ **Hmmm... What a troublesome little pest you are. Muh huh huh huh huh..."**_

Her many hands appeared in the audience, dragging them down. They never came back up. I felt refreshed, like when she first possessed me. The pain was gone!

" _ **Yesss... I have recovered from any slight damage you may have caused earlier... And now...I will punish you for your resistance..."**_

"Uh, Mario, what'll we do? We could be done for…" Mario's companion pointed out the obvious.

It felt comforting watching the hands come back to me, and the Queen swirling around while I floated five feet in the air. I felt very safe, a feeling I hadn't felt in a very long time, not even with Toadsworth and almost the entire royal guard in my throne room.

 _Don't kill him. Please…_

 _ **I can tell this Mario means very much to you.**_

 _He's special to me, and I want him with me._

 _ **Hmm… an emotionally distraught vessel just won't do… That can be arranged. I'll extend my offer again.**_

" _ **I will ask you again... Will you serve me? If so, I will forgive you for this..."**_

"Forget it! I know we'll win!" Mario's friend was quick to answer.

"That's right!" Mario added.

 _Please! Please… let… me try…_

 _ **Very well.**_

I could feel my limbs again! That, and my dress changed back to pink.

"Mario…"

"That voice… Princess Peach?!" the girl said, astonished. They both looked up at me hopefully, like they were expecting words of encouragement or something.

"Mario… I…"

They continued staring.

"Don't make this hard on yourself… on us. Just say yes…" I said in the sweetest voice I could muster. "You'll be by my side, and this… this really isn't so bad."

It really wasn't. A lot better than one of us, or both of us winding up dead. I didn't know what would happen if he succeeded in destroying her. Would I die? And here I had a great deal of influence on this witch.

Mario looked completely broken. "I… I… I accept."

Seeing him make that face made me feel horrible.

 _ **You have assisted me greatly… Princess Peach. Go with him, and we shall leave this place.**_

She floated me down, and I could move my legs again! When I ran over to him to give him a kiss on the cheek, he looked rather confused, and even more confused when I offered him my hand. He took it. We exited the palace, hand in hand…

I was shocked to see the sky had turned completely dark. Not a single star up there, and I swore it should have been daytime. But this wasn't so bad either.

I'm in my palace a lot now, and most of the time, the Queen doesn't take control of my body. She only does that in very important moments. I've taught her a lot about what she's missed over the last thousand years, like Bowser trying to conquer the galaxy, twice, and how the Beanbean Kingdom is doing, and all that. At first she seemed set on conquering the world, but she found out not even she could control a world with Fawful in it, or even come close. After she almost got fried by one of Fawful's airships way out in the middle of nowhere, she finally gave up on that. I've also taught her how to feel love, surprisingly similarly to what I did with TEC.

Speaking of TEC, when he gave me that quiz, one of the questions was, "What does Sir Grodus wish to do with this ancient demon's soul?", and one of the answers was, "Hang out with it." It seemed like a joke, really, but I've been doing a lot of that when I have no one else to talk to, and we're not busy trying to get the Toads to stop running away from me. She didn't exactly leave a good first impression.

Yeah, and people weren't too happy about the sky, so I convinced her to turn it back to normal.

Also, Bowser's absolutely terrified of me!

Well, that ends my story.

And so the Shadow Queen didn't quite engulf the world with her magic... For Mario... For Peach... And for the world, it was...

Pretty great, actually!


End file.
